I Know You By Heart
by Dragon's Daughter 1980
Summary: Five years after Voldemort's defeat, Harry and Ginny finally have time to come together as husband & wife. HG, RH
1. Chapter One: Reunion

Author's Note(s): Due to feedback from readers (thank you for reviewing), I've decided to split up the story into five chapters and explain a few things.  This story is a minor branch-off of a major story about Avalon — one that hopefully will be up soon…well, at least, the first few chapters…after all, it _does_ span at least thirty years.  Anyway, the time frame of this story is from December 2003 to the summer of 2004.  And yes, I did go back and fix a major mistake that gave several of my readers heart attacks…I am very sorry that I missed that…*banging head against the wall*

By the way, any and all advice on how to write fluff is extremely appreciated.  I'm not good with romance… thanks!

Disclaimer:  I do not own the Harry Potter series in any way or form.  Therefore, I respect Ms. Rowling (and her lawyers) with all due respect (which is a lot).  So please don't sue me.  This story, like most of my minor stories, is based on a song.  In this case, the song in question is "I Know You By Heart" by Katrina Carlson in duet with Benny Mardones.  This lovely piece is Ms. Carlson's property and has been borrowed for this tale with no intention of breaking copyright.  Thank you to Beth, my Sugar Quill editor, and my friends in their own special ways.  Enjoy!

I Know You By Heart

Ginny smiled somewhat tiredly at her overly-talkative coworker and wished she could escape from the stuffy atmosphere of the room as she slipped from the amber colored liquid in her glass.  She was glad that the bartender hadn't even raised an eyebrow when she had requested a non-alcoholic drink.  The apple cider he had given her was alcohol-free and yet resembled the champagne that was being served at the Ministry ball.  Her coworker was talking a mile a minute as her American friends would say and Ginny simply could not find a breath of time to politely excuse herself from his presence.

Fortunately for her, an owl swooped into the room and settled on her shoulder.  Pig hooted happily; his hyperactive personality had mellowed during the years as he matured — but his overly cheerful outlook on life remained.  Ginny accepted the scribed note from Pig's talon.  She had to struggle a bit to read her brother's messier-than-usual handwriting.  '_Went to hospital, please meet there_' Ginny frowned worriedly, '_I do hope Ron's just over reacting about Hermione.  I'd better leave for St. Mungo's right now._'

Her coworker asked, "Anything wrong, honey?  I can take care of it.  I can make all your troubles go away."

He leaned in closer to her.  Ginny gently pushed him away; he was single and it had been rumored that he was _interested_ in her.  It was becoming clear that the rumor was true and that he had too much to drink.  Ginny quickly made her exit before he did something that would embarrass them both.

"I have to go," said Ginny and left.  She slipped the note into her purse and fastened the clasp of her cloak as she headed for the fireplace.

"Sorry Miss Weasley," said one of the guards apologetically as he stood next to the blocked off fireplace.  "The Floo Network is being serviced right now.  May I hail the Knight Bus for you instead?"  Ginny smiled at the guard.  Quincy was a nice man.  It wasn't his fault that the fireplace network of travel wasn't working and besides, she hadn't been too thrilled at the prospect of traveling through fireplaces in a silk dress in the first place.  However, the idea of traveling by Knight Bus wasn't exactly thrilling either since its driver's driving skills had not improved with time.

"It's all right Quincy," said Ginny as she stepped towards the door instead.  "I can do it myself.  Thank you for the offer though.  I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night Miss Weasley."

"Good night Quincy," said Ginny, stepping out into the cool night air.  She drew her cloak tight around her and looked up at the headlights of a Muggle car that was coming up the street.  Automatically, she stepped backwards into the shadows of the night.  The car pulled to the curb and its driver turned off the engine and stepped out of the vehicle.

'_Well, this is a pleasant surprise._' Ginny thought as Harry Potter stepped onto the curb.  She moved out of the shadows.

"Harry," called Ginny.  He turned and smiled at her.  On impulse, she ran over to him and wrapped him in a hug.

"Hi, Ginny," replied Harry, wrapping his arms around her.  "How are you?"

"Fine," replied Ginny, breaking away from him.  "It's been so long since we've talked."

"Yes, well, we can talk on the way to the hospital.  Ron asked me to pick you up.  That's a nice dress you're wearing by the way."

"Thank you."  Ginny blushed.

"Well, we'd better get going.  Ladies first," Harry opened the car door for her, sweeping an elaborate bow.  Ginny smiled and replied, "Thanks.  How's Hermione?"

Harry raised an eyebrow in mock surprise.  "Surely your mother has given you ample information on that subject?"

Ginny laughed.  "Well, Mum has certainly been preoccupied with grandchildren lately.  No, actually; she's more worried about Charlie and Nora's wedding."  Harry nodded, shut the door, and went around the car.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'_Merlin, she looks beautiful tonight…_' Harry let the thought trail off right there.  He feared if he let it go on, he would do something foolish.  He loved Ginny; he just hadn't realized that he loved her in the romantic sense.  This was not the right time.  Ron was already a basket case of father-to-be nerves and Harry was not going to awaken Ron's protective older brother instincts with Ginny.  Harry was not going to approach him at that moment, asking for permission to see Ron's only sister.  Tonight was Ron and Hermione's night, and their new child and Harry was determined not to ruin it.  '_Merlin's Beard, I don't even know if she feels the same way about me…_' he thought as he opened the driver's side door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'_Thank Merlin he looks better now._' Ginny thought, waiting for him to climb into the driver's seat.  When they had last seen each other, he had looked worn and exhausted: physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Defeating Voldemort during his last year at Hogwarts had cost him and the Wizarding world dearly.  Since those dark days five years ago, the two had not found the time to meet.  Harry had been busy in Auror training and Ginny, after graduation, dealt with a torrent of traumatized victims that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had left behind.  They corresponded often, but it was not a true replacement for face-to-face conversation.  '_He's grown even more handsome.  I wonder if he has a girlfriend yet?_'  Ginny thought and then had to promptly repress the serge of jealousy that rose within her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oooh yeah…  
I am spinnin' around inside  
Through the window you say "climb in for a ride"   
All I want is what you are  
But if I drive you to your door it'll go too far

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where's Hermione?"

"She's at St. Christopher's Hospital," replied Harry, turning on the engine.

"Never heard of it," replied Ginny, puzzled.

"It's an Avalonian hospital," explained Harry, switching on the turn-signal.

"I see.  Who runs it?"

"Oh, Sirius' niece, Alice, manages it with her husband, Henry Blackwood.  They got married last month."

"That's good, they're happy, I hope?" asked Ginny politely.  Harry nodded.

"How's work been going?" she asked.  Ron had been busy and the last time she had seen him was about two weeks ago.  With the busy schedules of the whole family, the Weasleys only managed to get together once every three months now.  Even then, Ron had been absent or forced to leave early because of training or work.

"Well, we're getting there," replied Harry vaguely as he merged into Muggle traffic.  Ginny knew that he couldn't talk much about his job.  There were still Death Eaters left to be arrested, but the Ministry was slowly working toward the goal of catching the fugitives.  Their primary goal was to apprehend Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy who had managed to slip past Ministry Aurors soon after Voldemort's death.  There were a host of other minor characters that needed to be dealt with; but Lucius, being one of Voldemort's closest supporters, was the biggest threat to the newfound peace of the Wizarding world.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I know you by heart, like the road back home  
I know if we touched, I'd have to have you alone  
I know you by heart you're my very best friend  
I know if I let you back, it would all start again

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ginny, I don't want to touch on a sore spot, but I was wondering what happened to Reilly?  You talked so much about him in your letters and then he just disappeared."  Harry braked the car at the traffic light and looked at her to see her reaction.

Ginny stiffened.  She really did not want to think or talk about her ex-boyfriend, near fiancé.  He had gone away on a 'business trip' and then wrote to her that he didn't think that their relationship 'could progress' any further.  A few months later, through a coworker, Ginny learned that Reilly was dating seriously again.  She had half a mind to write to his new 'love of his life' to inform her of her existence, but decided against it in the end.

Harry wasn't an expert at reading body language.  He had learned the skills on the job questioning Death Eaters and other people with something to hide, but he knew enough to know that Ginny was uncomfortable.

"Sorry," said Harry quickly.  The light had turned green and he steered the car left.  "It's none of my business."

"No," replied Ginny, forcing herself to sound calm.  It was time to follow what she preached to her patients.  "I should talk about it.  And besides, you're my friend.  You have a right to know."  She sighed.

"Reilly broke off our engagement rather suddenly."

"What?!" Harry took his attention off of the road for a brief second to give her a shocked look.  "He dumped you just like that?"

"Yes, he said our relationship couldn't progress, whatever that means.  I think he might have been put off by the family."

"How could anyone _not_ like your family?"

"They're big, and I guess they can be intimidating sometimes, especially the way my brothers act."

"What?  Fred and George sent him some fireworks?" asked Harry, amused.

"No, more like 'If you hurt my sister in any way, I'll have your head,' sort of intimidation."

"Oh, well they _are_ your brothers."

"Don't you start too!  I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

"I know, I know, but you are the youngest in the family and it's hard to break years of behavior."

"Yes, I know," said Ginny.  "It's just that it's so — so suffocating sometimes.  It's better now since almost everyone is married and expecting."  She paused.  "Do you think you can make it to Charlie and Nora's wedding?"

Harry chuckled, "Well, I think I've talked Kingsley into giving Ron and me at least a half-day off."

"Is it going to be enough?"

"Well, he says that he'll put us on-call, so if anything occurs we'll have to leave early, or get someone to cover for us, but that's unlikely."

Without thinking, she blurted out, "And what about you?"

"Hmm?"  Harry did not follow her reasoning.

"Is there anyone special?" she asked, wondering why his answer seemed so important to her.

"No," Harry said slowly.  "Not at the moment.  I've been so busy…and you know Aurors aren't exactly allowed to socialize in _that_ manner."

"_Not_," he said a bit hastily, "that anyone has shown interest in me beyond being a coworker, or," he added somewhat bitterly, "The Boy Who Lived."

Ginny placed a sympathetic hand on his arm.  She knew how much he hated that title.  Thank Merlin that Hermione had the information on Rita Skeeter to keep that horrid woman quiet; but she wasn't the only reporter in the Wizarding world.  So when Harry had elected to go into the Aurors, a big media fuss had been made, so large that Harry practically had to disguise himself just to go outside of his home.

In the end, it had been his _extremely_ irritated godmother, Samantha, who told the reporters to leave before she slapped them silly with a lawsuit or two.  Of course, it probably helped that she was known to be one of the main defenders of Hogwarts when Voldemort attacked, that her father was the former American ambassador to Britain (and currently worked right under Dumbledore in the International Confederation of Wizards), that she was friends with Dumbledore, that her sister headed a prestigious law firm, and that she was the wife of Sirius Black, who had been cleared of all wrongdoing.

"So what have Ron and Hermione come up with for names if the baby's a girl?" Ginny asked, turning the conversation into less heavy topics.

"They were still 'discussing' it when I left to pick you up," Harry said, fighting to keep a smile off of his face.  "They'll fight it out and everything will be fine in the end.  Last I heard: if the baby's a girl, her name will be Minerva.  That was of course Hermione's idea.  Ron's dead set against it lest his daughter turn into our Transfiguration Professor."

Ginny giggled.  "And what was Ron's suggestion?"

"He wanted Fleur, but considering that Hermione wasn't too thrilled about that…"

"The baby will probably end up being Hope or Peace or something like that."

"Hermione wouldn't stand for it, neither would Ron," said Harry, pulling into the parking lot of the private hospital.  "Well, the baby could be a boy and then this whole discussion would have been for nothing."

"I suppose so," said Ginny, smiling.


	2. Chapter Two: Courting

Author's Notes: Okay, here's where things get confusing.  Sirius fell through a veil at the end of the fifth book and is presumed dead by his godson and everyone else.  Sirius is not dead.  (No, I'm not a diehard Sirius fan, but seriously, I don't want him dead.)  He ends up on Avalon, which lies between Life and Death.  In my slightly AU series, which will be up soon, Sirius spends the majority of the sixth book recovering on the Isle of Avalon.  Then in the seventh book, Sirius returns to Hogwarts to help Harry defeat Voldemort and everyone lives happily ever after.  I know I'm still confusing on some parts, especially with the Night Guards and etcetera, but if I were to try to explain in this paragraph, I would only succeed in confusing people more.

Disclaimer: I do not own either the Harry Potter series or "I Know You By Heart" in any way or form.  Thank you to Beth, my Sugar Quill editor, and my friends in their own special ways.  Constructive criticism is appreciated.  Thanks for reviewing!  Enjoy!

I Know You By Heart

Chapter Two: Courting

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Cause baby you run wild, wind in your hair  
You love for the moment, live for the journey to who knows where  
You say that all I fear, you can't control  
It's just your nature, you can't find what you need in just one soul

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Early on New Year's Day, one could see two figures trudging along in the half-darkness through the violet-colored snow.  Only by the sweet notes of a pair of songbirds, courting in the winter, broke the silence of the morning.

"Ginny, where are we going?" asked Harry, struggling to keep up with her in the deep snow.  When his foot stumbled into a rabbit hole, only Ginny's hand prevented him from pitching headfirst into the icy powder.  She smiled in the gray light and said in a teasing voice, "It's a surprise."

"A surprise that required us to sneak out of the house at five in the morning to see after a night of celebrations?" Harry asked.  "Fred and George are going to have a field day teasing us about what we were doing when we get back."

"Don't worry," Ginny replied, her breath making a cloud in the winter air.  "I have 'dirt', as Lavender would put it, on them.  They won't get very far with the teasing.  Besides, Hermione was up with Lily when we left."

"I still find it hard to believe that they named her after my Mum," Harry said softly.  Ginny smiled slightly at him, "Lily's a lovely name and besides, both of them agreed on it."

The two of them climbed up a steep hillside, wading through the sparkling white snow.  From the hilltop, which overlooked a snow-filled valley, the two watched the sun peak over the horizon.

"Happy New Year's Day, Harry," Ginny said quietly.  Harry smiled and slipped his arm easily around her waist.  The two of them seemed to fit each other comfortably.  Harry found himself studying her glittering red hair and the way the growing sunlight danced around its curly surface.  Her face seemed perfectly content with the world.  She broke away from him gently, taking out a handful of bird seed from her robe pocket to scatter on the deep snows.

Harry returned his gaze to the rising sun, recalling the winter day when he had first gone to Avalon and seen his godfather, alive though not well.  It was the same day that Avalon had sent its guards, under the guise of refugees, students, and teachers, into Hogwarts.  So many of the guards were younger than Harry and his friends and yet as dangerous as or more deadly than most adult wizards and witches.  It had chilled him to see people, a few years older than him, have deadly accuracy with knives and guns.  Then to discover that Hogwarts had its own guardians, an elite group called the Night Guards, was a shock.  Even more shocking was that its senior captain was a Gryffindor boy in Ginny's year, who also happened to be his godmother's nephew.

The next year, the American students had come and the guise of being helpless and frightened people had been dropped as the guards began to patrol the corridors at night and practice for the final confrontation.  When it came, it was a bloody battle that was waged on many levels: Muggle-blood versus pureblood; trust and loyalty versus fear and terror; Muggle weapons and Avalonian magic against wands and Dark magic.  That night, many gave everything they had for the sake of the Light, Avalon, and peace.  One girl who nearly gave everything stood out vibrantly in Harry's memory.  Her name was Lisa.  That evening when they knew Voldemort was coming, she had seen his troubled face as he watched her friends and comrades assemble and prepare in the Great Hall alongside his classmates.

_"Mr. Potter, don't let yourself get distracted by us," she said, moving next to him._

_"Please, Harry," he said.  She gave him a half nod._

_"Harry," she said gently, standing next to him, her eyes drifting over her friends and family, "we know what we doing tonight.  What happens to us — if we live or die — it won't be your fault.  _None_ of this is your fault," she repeated firmly, turning to look him in the eye.  "We are all here by choice.  We chose to be here because we are needed and because it is right.  Voldemort is like Hitler and I can not, no, will not stand by and let him kill innocent people for fun and power."_

_Her voice softened and, for the first time, she sounded frightened.  "I'll admit that my parents were broken-hearted when they found out that I was coming here, to Hogwarts.  That they didn't want me to come, that I'm their only child.  I'll admit that I was scared like hell when I came here, and that I'm scared right now.  I don't want to die.  I don't want to fight.  But I have no choice, not if I want him dead."  Her brown eyes looked away from his, back to the crowd._

_"All of us will die sooner or later," she said softly.  "We don't know if our number will be up tonight.  Some of us take comfort in a higher power, believing in God or The-Person-Upstairs; others just hold on to the knowledge that there is another place beyond this one.  The Source will guide our hand tonight."_

_"Harry," Lisa locked brown eyes with his green, "you have shouldered burdens, seen things that no one should ever see, lost your childhood from the start.  I might have more power than you, but I have been sheltered and carefully trained in a classroom.  You've had to learn the hard way, through experience and chance.  Cedric would have never blamed you for his death, you heard him, he wanted you to take his body back to his family and that you did."_

_"Whatever happens tonight Harry, Voldemort will be defeated.  Pray that the Source will keep our losses low and that It will aid you in your fight.  You will not lose.  Avalon will not lose in the end."  Lisa smiled knowingly at those words and she put a shy hand on his shoulder._

_"Avalon aids you Harry Potter.  May the Source be kind to us."  She withdrew her hand and let it drop back to her side.  By then, Harry had learned the traditional Avalonian forms of greeting and farewell and knew how to reply._

_"The Source protect us all tonight," he replied.  Lisa nodded once and left to join her friends._

A few minutes later, she had left to lay traps in the corridors and defend the second floor of the school should the Death Eaters somehow breach the wards.  That was the last time Harry saw her that night.  The next time he received news about her was when he had seen the casualty list.  She had been critically injured while trying to stop Death Eaters from breaking into a classroom full of frightened first year students.

Ginny's snowball caught Harry by surprise, abruptly bringing him out of his memories.  He smiled and scoped up a handful of snow and threw it at her.  She laughed as she dodged it easily.  Ginny's red curls tumbled out of her bun.  Her giggles turned into a yelp of surprise when a shower of snow was dumped over her courtesy of a levitation charm.  She grinned wickedly and a full blown snowball fight began.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun was fully in the sky before the two lovebirds headed back towards the Burrow, their stomachs rumbling with hunger and their cheeks pink from the cold.  Ginny was glad that Harry was able to make it to the holiday celebrations at the Burrow.  Chances were that her father had to pull a few strings at the Ministry to get the whole family on vacation, but, as Harry had confessed, it had been months since he had a real break from work.  It had been when Harry had admitted that he hadn't seen a winter sunrise that Ginny conceived the idea of taking him out for a walk on New Year's Day.  It would signify a new beginning for him and for her.

Ever since her niece's birth, Harry seemed to show up more often at the Ministry during lunchtime and at the Burrow, inviting her to eat lunch with him or simply to talk.  Ron had told her that recently Harry seemed less stressed and more content with life than he had been in for a long time.

Ginny had seen Harry briefly relaxed during his sixth year when he was helping her with her O.W.L.s and they had begun what she now called 'therapy sessions'.  He talked; she listened.  The two had become close friends; he was able to talk about his troubles honestly and she was willing to listen and help him put things in perspective.  It sometimes took a little scolding to make him see sense, but Ginny did it.  When Sirius returned from Avalon, she rejoiced with Harry.  In Harry's seventh year, when the war was at its height, Ginny did all she could to support him: standing with him when he greeted the High Rulers of Avalon, sitting with him when Professor Dumbledore outlined a dangerous plan to defeat Voldemort, and fighting by his side on that fateful night.  And then when the war was over, she accompanied him to the numerous funerals of his fallen comrades.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I know you by heart, like the road back home  
I know if we touched, I 'd have to have you alone  
I know you by heart, like my own flesh and blood  
What I feel for you, babe, goes deeper than love

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

From the doorway of her bedroom, Harry watched Ginny read a Muggle textbook on psychology while sitting cross-legged on her bed.  It had only been about a month, yet in that short time span, the two had gone from just being close friends to something deeper.  They both knew it…and they were both afraid to voice it aloud.  He had really begun to see her as a person during his fifth year when D.A. began.  His grief over Sirius' 'death' and her unwavering support for him during that trying time forged a bond of friendship that helped him through his sixth and seventh years.  When he had graduated, long letters and brief meetings at memorial services had to replace face-to-face midnight chats in the Gryffindor common room.  Harry's hard training schedule had made him cut back on his spare time until he wrote once a month in a journal format and Ginny was forced to do likewise due to her homework load as she prepared for her N.E.W.T.s.


	3. Chapter Three: Separation

Author's Note: Thanks for reviewing!  I'm glad I haven't confused anyone too badly. J

Disclaimer: I do not own either the Harry Potter series or "I Know You By Heart" in any way or form.  Thanks everyone!

I Know You By Heart

Chapter Three: Separation

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In your arms I feel the strength of all that's true  
And when you say you love me, I know I was meant for you  
But I don't know the part, no, I don't know the part  
No, I don't know that part, no, I don't know that part  
No, I don't know, no, no, no, no  
What makes you go away

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny and Harry stood in front of the Ministry's golden gates in silence, not knowing what to say, as the families around them bid good-bye to their loved ones.  Ginny was still struggling to deal with the suddenness of it while Harry tried to find the right words to express his feelings for her.  Finally, he moved.

"Goodbye Ginny," he whispered, hugging her tight.  "I'll be back as soon as I can."

The call had come out of nowhere from the Department of Mysteries for Harry and his group of Aurors to travel to an undisclosed location for an unknown length of time — even Ron had been called off of paternity leave.  That meant that Hermione would move in with Mrs. Weasley to have someone to help her raise Lily while she recovered from her labor.

"Be careful Harry," said Ginny, trying to keep her voice light and upbeat while holding back her tears.

"I will."

"Aurors!  Briefing in two minutes, say your goodbyes!"

"I have to go," said Harry softly, but made no move to let go.  His heart was breaking.  It was Ginny who gently pulled away.

"I love you Harry," said Ginny softly — words that she had been waiting for so long to say.

"I love you Ginny," said Harry, stroking her cheek.

"I think Hermione wants to say something."  Ginny moved away to share a few private words with her brother, allowing the two longtime friends to exchange good-byes.

"Harry," Hermione's brown eyes quivered with unshed tears, more for Ron than for him, but Harry had Ginny to cry and worry for him, "be careful all right?"

"Don't worry Hermione, I'll watch Ron's back for you."

"And don't you dare forget about yourself," Hermione said sternly.  Harry nodded, gently stroking Lily's cheek.  She gurgled happily and tried to grasp his finger in her tiny hand.  A small smile passed on Harry's face.  He watched Ginny and Ron exchanging goodbyes.  She said something and Ron nodded solemnly.  The siblings hugged and Ron came over to kiss his wife and daughter one last time.

"Aurors, move it!  Come on people, we've got a job to do!"

"Bye," said Harry, squeezing Ginny's hand briefly, before he clapped Ron's shoulder and they followed their colleagues into the Briefing Room.  As the Ministry door clicked shut, Ginny turned to her sister-in-law.

"It doesn't get easier does it?" Ginny asked Hermione who shook her head.

"No, but at least they're together to keep themselves out of trouble and get home in one piece."

"I hope they come back soon."

"I do too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

But I am tired, worn down and all  
I haven't the patience, the courage to take another fall

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny paced anxiously around the living room.  It had been a month of absolutely no word from either Harry or Ron.  Hermione, despite her connections at work, was just as frustrated as her sister-in-law at the silence from their life partners — or more accurately, from the Ministry.  Hermione wasn't allowed to gain access to her office since she was on maternity leave and had a personal interest in the Department of Mysteries' current mission.  She had politely argued that being on the maternity leave was not the equivalent to being barred from work and that she could be impartial.  Hermione had not succeeded, which thoroughly annoyed her to no end since she could not work to take her mind off of Ron and she could not find out what in the world half of the Ministry's Auror Division was doing and where in the world they were doing it.

However, Hermione was much better at being calm and reasonable than Ginny was.  She was after all married to Ron (who could be an insufferable git at times) and had been for the past four years.  During that time, Ron had gone through training, and then on missions, as an Auror.  Hermione had a patience of a saint; of course, at other times, she had the tempter of a Veela.  Hermione knew fairly well how to cope with worry and anxiety.  Ginny did not.

Ginny knew she was being foolish, but she couldn't help but recall the way Reilly had left her for another fiancée.  In her heart, Ginny knew that she loved Harry; she just wasn't sure why she doubted his word.  Maybe it was because she hadn't heard from him for so long, but then Hermione had told her that since the Department of Mysteries was involved and that she was barred from any involvement, chances were that Harry and Ron were on a classified mission.  For safety reasons, communication was restricted.  It was driving Ginny crazy.  She worried about him constantly, catching herself wondering if he was safe, what he was doing, was he even thinking about her while he was busy.  She scolded herself for having such an overactive imagination.  He hadn't even proposed yet, hadn't even officially stated that they were boyfriend and girlfriend to her family, and here she was, worrying about him as if they were already husband and wife!

She sighed as she sat down and pulled out a clean piece of parchment from a drawer.  Despite the ban on the Aurors writing home, the Ministry encouraged their families to write to their loved ones.  Ginny took out quill and ink and began to craft a somewhat upbeat letter to Harry and her brother.  It wouldn't do them any good to know about her current state of mind.  It would distract them and distractions got Aurors killed.  And there was no way that Ginny would cause the deaths of her brother and her boyfriend, not if she could help it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And what I wish for you, babe, is simple and sweet,  
For you to wake in the morning, with the one who wants you for keeps

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry walked through the muddy grounds of the Auror camp as the weak morning sun shone through the thick fog.  It reminded him of Avalon's mist that both threatened and protected the Isle.  Over seven years had passed since those days when the Isle of Avalon had stepped in to help Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix against Voldemort.  They had only shown their powerful connections in the final showdown and then immediately vanished in the confusion of the aftermath.  Avalon's soldiers were the unsung heroes of the war, like the spies who had sacrificed their lives to save others.

The Isle still kept a subtle hand in the affairs of the Outer World, stationing agents and contacts in both magical and non-magical communities.  Samantha Tang, Harry's godmother and Sirius' wife, was one of these people who were posted to keep a discreet eye on him and certain other people of interest.  He found it to be irritating at first until Samantha had explained that she would help him if, and only if, he seriously needed it.  She, and Avalon, would not interfere with his life unless it was absolutely necessary, which meant that he and his colleagues were on their own catching the Death Eaters.  She was telling the truth, if last night was any proof.

Harry ducked under a tent flap and winced as his shoulder throbbed with pain.  A brief skirmish with a Death Eater the night before had resulted in a few scrapes and bruises among the Aurors.  He, unfortunately, managed to catch a Bone-Breaking Curse in the shoulder before his friends managed to subdue the Death Eater.  Harry had made Ron promise not to tell Hermione, who would surely tell Ginny about his injury.  He wasn't going to say a word either.  If he did, either Hermione or Ginny would tell Mrs. Weasley who would then panic and pressure her husband to bring Harry home before the mission was over.  There was no way that Harry would stand for that happening.  He did _not_ want special treatment just because he was close friends with the Weasley family.

Harry sat down in the tent that he shared with his team of Aurors and took out his quill and a sheet of parchment.  Despite all the magical enchantments on the ordinary looking tent, the shelter was still soggy from the constant rain.  He sighed as he thought about Ginny.  He missed her _a lot_.  If it weren't for the possibility that the last of the Death Eaters could be rounded up, he would Apparate back to England without a second thought.  Even so, he was sorely tempted to do that.

At least in the remote, isolated mountains, Harry ran across very few star-struck people who were more interested in The-Boy-Who-Lived than who he really was.  His team of Aurors had long ago accepted him based on his merits as an Auror, not on his fame.  This was helped in part by the composition of his group, which was mainly made up of classmates from his Hogwarts days.  Harry repressed a chuckle of laughter when he thought about Neville's current position in the Ministry.  The boy whom the Potions Master had marked as a miserable failure had passed his O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s in Potion-making with flying colors.  All of them had come a long way since Hogwarts.

Hermione had taken a job at the Ministry as an Unspeakable while Ginny worked with traumatized children at St. Mungo's and at Ministry.  Neville worked as a Healer for the Auror Division alongside Hannah Abbott.  Colin Creevey went to work at the Daily Prophet and Luna Lovegood had taken over the Quibbler.  Draco Malfoy, surprisingly enough, had turned himself into the Ministry after Voldemort's fall of his own free will and handed over a few of his former 'mentors' while he was at it.  He was nearing the end of a six-year sentence in Azkaban, which was nothing for what his father, Lucius Malfoy — should he ever be captured — was in for.

Remus had married quite happily and settled down with his wife, Anna, to raise their growing family.  He had also regained employment at Hogwarts as the professor in Defense Against the Dark Arts.  Sirius and Samantha, his godparents, were busy raising their three children and were expecting a fourth little one in six months time.  They were teachers at Fairwood Academy, a private school established by the High Lady of Avalon to train people in the Outer World the aspects of Avalonian magic.

Mr. Weasley had been rapidly promoted since Voldemort's fall and now stood poised to be the next Minister of Magic.  Mrs. Weasley was now fussing over her growing brood of grandchildren, though she still occasionally fussed over her own children.  Bill was still working for Gringotts and was about ready to celebrate his five-year wedding anniversary with Fleur.  Charlie had recently married a Norwegian coworker, Nora, and the two divided their time between Norway, Romania and Britain.  The two still occasionally caused heart attacks at home when the family learned of their close scrapes while working on the dragon reservation.  Percy, after a tense period of readjusting, had been absorbed back into the family.  He was still a workaholic at the Ministry, but his wife Penelope was rapidly administering to that problem.  Fred and George had married Angelina and Katie respectively and both were expecting fathers.  Their business was booming and the Weasley family was no longer as poor as they once were.

At Hogwarts, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall had married, though she retained her surname to avoid confusion among the students.  Professor Snape, it was rumored, was also courting a lady friend though no one seemed to know who this (unfortunate — Ron's words) woman was.  Hagrid had settled down with Madame Maxime.  He was still groundskeeper at Hogwarts and she was still Headmistress of Beuxbatons.  However, their long distance relationship thrived.

"Harry?"  Susan Bones stuck her head into the tent.  The niece of the former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was a rapidly raising Auror in her own right and she had accompanied Harry and his team on this particular mission.

"Yes?"

"How's that shoulder of yours?"

"Neville did a good job."  At the look on Susan's face, he added, "It's just a little sore.  It'll be fine by tomorrow."

"Good.  By the way, Ron's in a mood, care to explain what's wrong with him?"

"Oh," Harry wasn't about to confess that Ron was 'in a mood' partially because of what Harry had 'discussed' with him earlier.  Harry settled for a safe answer, "He's missing Hermione and Lily."

Understanding lit Susan's face and she nodded at the parchment in his hands.  "Homesick…aren't we all?  Writing home?" she asked.  Harry nodded.  "Thank Merlin that we can do that now.  I can imagine Hermione pestering her boss to let us to it.  But watch out for what you write, the Ministry actually reads it."

She rolled her eyes as Harry's stomach did a back-flip.  He had forgotten that the Ministry had adopted a screening process for letters home from classified missions.  Now, someone else other than Ginny would be reading this letter.  '_Merlin, if this got out into the tabloids…_' Harry groaned to himself.  It would be a world of embarrassment for Ginny and himself.

"Hey!  Susan!" someone yelled and Susan smiled at Harry, saying, "Duty calls," before she left him alone with this new glitch in his plans.  Still, he didn't exactly have a choice but to go ahead and write the letter.  Hermione's last letter to Ron had included a note for him, telling Harry that Ginny was going nearly crazy with worry and that he had better write something nice to her soon.  '_Well, if this isn't nice, I don't know what is…_' Harry thought and began to write.


	4. Chapter Four: The Proposal

I'm sorry it has taken me a while to get this chapter out.  School's started…sigh.  Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing!  School can be quite depressing and stressing at times and it's a great boost to my spirits to learn that so many of you like my writing style. J

Author's Note: Avalon's particular brand of magic is wandless magic.  The ability to do so is inherited by blood.  Avalonians have intermarried into both the normal and magical communities.  Fairwood Academy, where Sirius and his wife are employed, is one school that teaches both wand and wandless magic to its students.

Disclaimer: I do not own either the Harry Potter series or the song "I Know You By Heart" in any way or form. Thanks for reading!

I Know You By Heart

Chapter Four: The Proposal

Dear Ginny,

It has been a month since I've last seen you and it feels like forever.  I can't say too much about what we've been doing here otherwise the Ministry won't let this letter through.  Let's just say that Ron and I are safe at the moment though Ron has been moping since he hasn't seen Hermione and Lily for a month and it isn't looking like he'll see them anytime soon.  I know exactly how he's feeling at the moment.  I miss you so much.

Things have happened here that have got me thinking a lot about you.  And so, now it's time to confess.  I've fallen hopelessly in love with you, Ginny, and I've been doing a lot of serious thinking about our relationship.  I've already talked to Ron about this and, even though he nearly gave me a black eye, he approved.

So, when I get back, Virginia Weasley, will you do me the honor of marrying me?  I've given this serious thought and I mean it.  I won't back out of this because I love you too much to do it and if I did, Ron swore that he would kill me.  If you are willing to wait for me, then wear this ring until I get home to propose to you properly.  Don't write back because I probably won't have much time to read it, but if you have to, write to Samantha and she'll get the letter through to me.

Love,  
Harry

Ginny reread the letter to assure herself that it wasn't a dream.  The ring she held in her hand was real.  Harry had proposed!  Hermione was sitting down on the couch, pretending to be absorbed in one of her books.  She observed Ginny's shock and closed her book, waiting for Ginny to explain.

"Well, what it is Ginny?" asked Hermione impatiently when a few minutes had passed.

"I — he — he proposed!"

"What?!" Hermione wasn't sure what Ginny had said.

"Harry proposed to me!  Oh Merlin, he proposed!"

"About time," Hermione said with amusement.  "I'm taking your enthusiasm as a 'yes'?"

"Of course it's a 'yes'!  What else would it be?"  Then Ginny sobered as something came to mind.

"What are my brothers going to say?" she groaned as she sat down next to her friend.

"They'll be overjoyed.  Come on Ginny, they've known Harry for over a decade, if you can believe it.  Fred and George will crack a few jokes and pull a few stunts.  Ron will probably be in shock, but he'll be okay with it.  Charlie and Bill will be fine; they've liked him from the start.  And Percy, well, he'll accept it eventually, if not right away.  Your father will be happy and your mother will cry.  I doubt that Harry's going to get a talking to from your brothers."

"Ron's already taken care of that."

"Well, it couldn't have been that bad."

"It says here, 'Ron nearly gave me a black eye,'" replied Ginny, reading from the letter.  Hermione held out a hand and Ginny placed the parchment in her hand.  Hermione read it quickly and looked at her friend.

"It also says here that Ron approves of the match," Hermione sounded extremely amused.  "Ginny, don't worry.  Now, we should tell your family the good news."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny walked down the gleaming wood corridors of the educational institution, her shoes echoing softly as she walked passed classrooms of children and teachers.  Enchanted firelight created a warm glow on the varnished oak wood and gave off a feeling of comfort and familiarity.  It seemed cozy and warm, like the Gryffindor common room.  Through an open door, Ginny heard the students of one class, mostly likely Defense Against the Dark Arts, dueling with each other.

"Arrête!" a boy yelled, sounding slightly panicked.

"Aller!" a girl called out, and then let out a sound of frustration when her spell failed.

"Finite!" a familiar male voice cut in.  "Good job, Allison, but watch your left side, you're extremely weak there, and Lucas, you cannot always rely on shielding spells.  They are your specialty, but they can become your weakness.  You must attack at some point to defend yourself.  You have a wand, use it!  Both of you may sit down."

"Yes, Professor Black.  Could I come in for tutorial?" the boy voiced timidly.

"Yes, but next lesson no one will be using any wandless magic, it's time you learned to duel with only wands and what the rest of the world knows.  Your exams in wand magic are coming up and your skills cannot afford to be rusty!"

"Professor, You-Kn — sorry, Voldemort — and his Death Eaters have been defeated, so why should we be so paranoid?"  Ginny was still amazed that the student, who probably remembered Voldemort fairly well, was bold enough to casually say his name without any trace of fear.

"Voldemort has been defeated yes, but you know that life cannot exist without death and that good cannot exist without evil.  You might have a bit of a problem with that last part unfortunately.  Someone else will rise to power, and they may try to upset the Balance that must exist.  When, not if, that time comes, you must be ready to defend yourselves."

"Once you've graduated, all of you will go your separate ways.  True, you will remain linked through our network of people.  Some of you will go on to Muggle universities and live out Muggle lives with very little need to use your skills.  Others of you will enter the magical community where you need to seem like everyone else, to enable you to blend into the background.  Many of Fairwood's graduates have become Unspeakables or Aurors; an equal number have chosen to have nothing to do with their skills and gone on to become entrepreneurs, but you must seem to be normal witches and wizards, not Avalon's Descendents."

Ginny chuckled and shook her head.  It was amusing and amazing that Harry's godfather could sound so responsible and serious.  She continued walking to the office door with a copper nameplate affixed to it.  The title announced that the occupants of the office were _Professors of Wand Magic & Defense against the Dark Arts: Samantha Tang and Sirius Black_.  Ginny knocked on the door of the office.  Fairwood Academy had a mystery to it that still unnerved her at times, despite the fact that she had traveled there several times in the past.

"Come in," a woman's voice called, sounding distracted.  Ginny opened the door.  Samantha, Harry's godmother, looked up from the pile of papers she was grading.

"Ginny," Samantha smiled, standing up and coming around her desk.  "What brings you here?  You're looking extremely vibrant today."

"Thanks.  I have a favor to ask.  Could you get a letter to Harry?"

"I could," Samantha replied.  "Is it important?"

"Yes," Ginny answered shyly.  "He proposed."

"To you?"  Samantha hugged her.  "Congratulations."

"I haven't even told you if I accepted or not!" Ginny said, laughing.

"You're so happy, I know you accepted."

"So will you?"

"Of course I will.  I don't know if I can get to him in time though.  A few of my sources say that he'll be back soon.  But don't count on it."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that," Samantha replied mysteriously.  "But let's just say things are wrapping up pretty quickly."

"A little bird in your ear again isn't it?" Ginny asked knowingly.  Samantha smiled slightly, but didn't answer.  She belonged to a network of people who often passed information along secure unofficial channels to aid official plans and workings.  Chances were that she had a way of passing information confidentially to Harry without any Ministry oversight, though it was more likely that she would route the letter through some Muggle channels and hand it off to a messenger.

"Is he all right?" Ginny asked, holding out the letter.  Samantha took it and leaned against her desk.

"He has a minor injury or two, but nothing serious."  Catching the look on Ginny's face, Samantha added soothingly, "Don't worry.  He's survived Voldemort and Auror training.  He's good at what he does.  And we —" Samantha corrected herself, "he has other certified Aurors with him.  He's safe."

"But these are Death Eaters we're talking about!"

"Like I said, Harry isn't alone and besides, do you think Lucius Malfoy would be reading a precious textbook on ancient spells in the middle of the wilderness?" asked Samantha calmly.

"No," Ginny admitted.

"Look Ginny, I can't tell you much for your own safety, but I will tell you this: Harry's a powerful wizard and he knows a few handy spells to help him should he end up in a tight corner.  You love him, and it's perfectly normal that you're worried about him.  I worried about Sirius when he entered Auror training with James.  I worried about him when he went off on Order business.  I worried about him when the whole world thought he was dead.  But," Samantha took Ginny's hand and looked into Ginny's eyes, "you've got to believe that he'll come home all right, that he'll come back to you, otherwise you'll go crazy."  She smiled and released Ginny's hand.  Ginny nodded.

"Thanks Samantha."

"You're more than welcome anytime Ginny," Samantha said, picking up Ginny's letter and moving around her desk.  "Tell your family I send my regards."

"I will," Ginny said before she departed.


	5. Chapter Five: Coming Home

Author's Notes: This is the last chapter of this particular story and I hope I've managed to clear up some of the confusion I've caused. Thanks for waiting while I got this sorted out. School's been keeping me "entertained" cough

Disclaimer: I do not own either the Harry Potter series or the song "I Know You By Heart" in any way or form. Thanks to Beth, my editor and my deepest gratitude to my readers for reading and reviewing.

I Know You By Heart

Chapter Five: Coming Home

"Miss Weasley?" a gruff voice asked. Ginny looked up from her notes on one of her patients to see a stranger standing uncomfortably in her office doorway, holding a sheet of parchment.

"Yes?"

"You're Mr. Potter's next-of-kin?" the man asked, glancing down on a list. Fear swept through Ginny, her heart skipping a beat. Surely if it was bad news about Harry, her father would have call her into his office to inform her, or Kingsley would have sent for her, or Samantha would have come to tell her.

"No — not exactly — is he all right? Nothing's happened to him?" asked Ginny in a rush. The man looked at her oddly before replying, "No, I'm just here to inform Miss Virginia Weasley that Mr. Harry Potter is returning to London tonight."

If Ginny had not been sitting in a chair, she would have collapsed into one with relief. Instead, she exhaled slowly.

"Thank you," she said politely.

"Good day then," the man said abruptly and left. A surge of unexplainable happiness and joy rose inside of Ginny and she knew that she wouldn't be able to wait to greet her fiancé.

Deep in the forests of Yugoslavia, the Auror camp had been disassembled and the captured prisoners had been securely bound for transport back to Britain. Harry and Ron looked at each other with barely repressed impatience. Neither of them could wait to get home and greet their women. Harry was fidgeting with nerves as he contemplated what Ginny's answer to his proposal might be. Ron looked knowingly at his best friend. He was enjoying Harry's nervousness like Harry had while watching, amusedly, as Ron had proposed to Hermione after graduation. It had taken two weeks before Ron was completely comfortable with the idea of his best friend marrying his younger sister, but as he had put it, "Since Ginny has to marry someone, you're the best choice Harry. At least you won't hurt her like Reilly did."

In Harry's backpack was a letter from Ginny via his godmother. He hadn't a chance to even open the letter before Kingsley, his boss, was ordering them to pack up and move out. He didn't know if Ginny's letter had been written before or after he had written to her.

"Five," Susan began to count down. Ron and Harry grasped their prisoners a little tighter in preparation for departure. "Four, three, two, one!" Harry felt a familiar tug at his navel as the Portkey activated. With a breath-taking jolt, the Aurors landed on British soil. The prisoners were turned over to the custody of skilled interrogators and the Aurors were released to return to their families with two weeks leave after a month and a half of hard work. The group assembled right outside a special Ministry room reserved for family reunions. Harry's stomach jiggled with nerves as they waited. Ron smiled reassuringly at Harry before the door opened and the waiting relatives rushed to embrace their loved ones.

"Harry!" Ginny threw her arms around his neck, half strangling him. Ron was being engulfed in a similar hug from Hermione.

"I've missed you so much," said Harry, his voice muffled in Ginny's shoulder as he hugged her back. He broke the embrace to study her face.

"About my letter, did you get it?"

Ginny nodded.

"I meant everything I wrote."

"I know. This is my answer:" Ginny leaned in close to his ear to be heard above the din. "Harry James Potter, I will marry you."

Harry looked like his wildest dreams had come true. Ginny laughed at his astonished look and then she stopped abruptly as Harry kissed her.

I know you by heart, like the road back home  
I know if we touched, I'd have to have you alone  
I know you by heart, every inch of your skin  
Hey if I let it start, I'd never want it to end  
I know you by heart, the heart of your soul  
I know you like the only home that I'll ever know

Amidst the chatter of the Weasley clan, Harry felt he was finally home. It was June and Ginny had been Mrs. Potter for a little over two months. The couple had good news to share with the rest of the family. Everyone was at the Weasley get-together. It had grown since Harry had first arrived in his first year at Hogwarts. All seven children of the Weasley brood had married and all had, or were about to have, children. In addition, Remus, Sirius, and their families had been invited, so the dinner had to take place in the backyard.

Ginny was chatting animatedly with Hermione and Samantha about Muggle psychology and how it could be applied to Voldemort's victims while Arthur and Remus listened closely. Mrs. Weasley — or Molly, as she now insisted that Harry call her — was talking with Angelina and Katie about motherhood. Harry was involved in a discussion about the latest Quidditch scores with Sirius, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, and Ron. Ron was occasionally sidetracked from the discussion since he had to rescue his daughter from his nephews' rough-play. Anna, Penelope, Fleur and Nora talked about their experiences at different Wizarding academies while keeping an eye on their children.

When night had descended upon the gathering and dessert was slowly finished off, Harry glanced over at his wife who nodded. The couple politely excused themselves from their respective conversations and stood up together. Harry carefully threaded his arm around Ginny's waist as she tapped on her glass for everyone's attention.

"Mum, Dad, everyone," Ginny called out. The backyard fell silent though the squealing of the little ones could be heard in the background.

"We have some news we want to announce," Harry said, unable to keep the happy grin off of his face. The couple smiled at each other and Ginny announced, "I'm pregnant."

The Weasley family exploded with joy. Sirius grinned wickedly and made a comment that made Samantha hit him gently. Remus nodded in a satisfied way and the years faded away from his face as he stood up to congratulate his friend's son. Molly was crying with joy while Arthur looked to be in a state of shock. Fred and George eagerly congratulated Harry by telling him what he could expect Ginny to be like for the next nine months. Angelina and Katie just looked venomously at their husbands that clearly foreshadowed the dressing down Fred and George would get once they got home. Harry just laughed. Ron grinned, slapped Harry on the back, and told him to come over when Ginny was acting up. Hermione quietly informed Ginny that she was also pregnant and that the two of them could comfort each other in the months ahead.

Ginny giggled and looked over at her husband. A few months ago, if anyone had told her that she would marry the Harry Potter and have his children, she would have calmly told them that the two of them were just close friends. Now… She sighed in a satisfied way. She was content and happy. The secret to a happy marriage, her mother had told her, was to know each other's thoughts and dreams, and Ginny was certain that she knew Harry by heart.


End file.
